ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
1.41 LMT of Onion quantity has been released from the Buffer stock, as on 09.12.2021
In order to stabilize the retail prices of Onion, a buffer stock of 2.08 Lakh Metric Ton  Onion has been built in 2021-22
The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ashwini Kuma Choubey in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today informed that the Centre has set up the Price Stabilization Fund  to tackle price volatility of identified agri-horticultural commodities such as onion, potato and pulses to protect the interests of consumers. Buffer stocks of pulses and onion are maintained under PSF for regulated release to help moderate the prices. Such market interventions by Government not only helps in sending the appropriate market signal but also deter speculative and hoarding activities. Further, the Government has issued advisory to States/UTs to set up the State-level Price Stabilisation Fund  corpus with central assistance, and has requested States which have set up the Fund already, to make appropriate interventions for cooling down retail prices of essential food commodities.
In order to stabilize the retail prices of Onion, a buffer stock of 2.08 Lakh Metric Ton  Onion has been built in 2021-22. Open market releases of onion from the buffer have been targeted towards States/Cities where prices are increasing over the previous month and also in source markets to augment the availability in these key mandis and thereby reduce retail prices. States/UTs have been offered onion at Rs.21/kg ex-storage locations and same has been lifted by some States. As on 09.12.2021, 1.41 LMT of Onion quantity has been released from the Buffer stock.
The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare implements the scheme, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture  under which financial assistance is provided for various horticulture activities including setting up of cold storages for perishable horticultural produce through State Governments. Further, the National Horticulture Board  implements a scheme namely, Capital Investment Subsidy for construction/Expansion Modernization of Cold Storages and Storages for Horticulture Products. Under the Operation Greens Scheme of Ministry of Food Processing Industries, grants-in-aid are provided for setting up of Value Chain Development Projects, including Cold Storages.
Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises
KVIC through RE-HAB project of the Honey Mission Programme aims to reduce elephant attacks on humans and farmers’ crops
Shri Manoj Kumar, Chairman, KVIC distributed live Bee Colonies, Bee-keeping equipment and 200 Bee-Boxes to the trained beneficiaries at Sulia at Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka under the RE-HAB Project, an initiative under the Honey Mission Programme of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Under the Project RE-HAB, “Bee-fences” are created by setting up bee boxes in the passage ways of elephants to block their entrance to human habitats. The boxes are connected with a string so that when elephants attempt to pass through, a tug or pull causes the bees to swarm the elephant herds and dissuade them from moving further.
This is a cost-effective way of reducing human-wild conflicts without causing any harm to the animal. It is scientifically recorded that elephants fear the bee swarms that can bite their sensitive inner side of the trunk and eyes. The collective buzz of the bees annoys elephants which force them to return.
Speaking on this occasion Shri Manoj Kumar said “It was seen that Bees help the farmers in arresting the encroachment of elephants in their agricultural fields and destroy them.Not only this, some precious lives are also lost in that condition. Taking an initiative, KVIC initiated a pilot project with the Technical assistance of the College of Forestry, Ponnampet, Kodagu District and the results were encouraging. Hence, 6 such projects were sanctioned in the most wanted states namely Assam, Maharastra, west Bengal, Orissa, Uttarkhand apart from Karnataka.”
Under the RE-HAB farmers are trained in bee-keeping and each of them are supplied with 10 Bee boxes and installed in the elephant corridors so bee boxes and bee hives are placed in the Elephant corridor to restrict elephants from approaching the agricultural field. This Pilot project has shown very good results in Ponnampet. This project has also helped in the increasing agricultural output due to enhanced pollination as well as Honey Extraction, he informed.
Chairman, KVIC also emphasised the farmers to take benefit of the scheme for it's long-term advantages. Speaking on this occasion he also shared in details about the PMEGP Scheme ok KVIC which has enhanced Loan ceiling from Rs 25.00 Lakhs to Rs 50.00 by the Prime Minister and encouraged the women and rural youth to take up the scheme.
Ministry of Finance
Finance Minister reviews Customer Outreach Initiatives and support to NBFCs
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman reviewed the performance of Public Sector Banks  here today in a meeting with bank chief executives. Credit and implementation of measures announced to support economic growth were reviewed in-depth.
In the review, it was noted that during the first phase of the Customer Outreach Initiative, from 1st to 9th October 2019, PSBs disbursed Rs 81,781 crore, including new term loans of Rs 34,342 crore. Banks shared their plans for the second phase of the Customer Outreach Initiative, with camps in about 150 districts between 21st to 25th October 2019, building on the momentum already built.
As in the first phase, NBFCs would also participate. Further, receivable bill discounting for MSMEs would also be a focus area. Details of specific dues outstanding of the companies, including MSME, with the corporates and aggregating approximately Rs 40,000 crores will be shared by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs with banks for reaching out to MSMEs during the Customer Outreach Initiative for bill discounting and enabling MSMEs to access working capital.
In addition, home loans, vehicle loans, agriculture loans, education loans, and other MSME and personal loans would be focused upon. It was reiterated that the outreach would be without any dilution in diligence or underwriting standards. It was also noted that with the recent recapitalisation of over Rs 55,000 crore, PSBs are well equipped to support credit needs.
It was noted in the review that PSBs have continued to support the NBFC/HFC sector. Since the IL&FS default in September 2018 till 10th October 2019, PSBs have sanctioned total support of Rs 3,97,557 crore in the form of credit as well as pool-buyouts of Rs 1,07,792 crore, including Rs 15,455 crore under the newly launched Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme. Disbursement by PSBs to NBFCs has been Rs 39,068 crore since the last review on 19th September 2019 till 10th October 2019.
The PSB’s chief executives informed that they will continue expeditious disbursement of pool buy-outs including those sanctioned under the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme. Government would also issue suitable clarifications to banks with a view to expedite processing of proposals under the scheme.
Ministry of Finance
Soma Roy Burman takes charge as new Controller General of Accounts
Smt. Soma Roy Burman, a 1986-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service  Officer, took charge as the new Controller General of Accounts here today.
Smt. Burman is the 24th Controller General of Accounts  and is the seventh woman to hold this coveted position.
The Government of India appointed Smt. Burman, as the Controller General of Accounts , Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure with effect from December 1, 2019.
Smt. Burman holds the degree of M.Phil in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Delhi.
During her 33-year long career, she has held cadre positions at different levels in Ministries such as Home Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Industry, Finance, Human Resource Development and Shipping, Road Transport & Highways. She has headed the Central Pension Accounting Office  as the Chief Controller  and the Institute of Government Accounts and Finance , New Delhi, as Director.
She has also handled important portfolios while on Central deputation to the Government of India, where she served as Deputy Secretary/Director in the Department of Economic Affairs  and as Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser, NATGRID, Ministry of Home Affairs. She has also held charge as Director in the office of Comptroller and Auditor General  of India on deputation.
Prior to assuming the charge of CGA, Smt. Burman served as Additional Controller General of Accounts in the office of CGA handling the critical areas of Accounting Rules, Policy and reforms, Financial Reporting, Data Analytics, Cash and Budget Management. Smt. Burman has been actively involved in the formulation of wide ranging reforms in these areas for strengthening Public Financial Management in the Union Government.
Ministry of Law and Justice
Four Judges elevated as Chief Justices of Odisha, Telangana, Madras and J& K High Courts
The President of India, in exercise of the power conferred by clause  of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, appointed the following Judges as Chief Justices of the High Courts :
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S. No.
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Name of the Judge S/Shri Justice
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Present High Court
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High Court where appointed as Chief Justice
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1
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Dr. S. Muralidhar
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Punjab & Haryana
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Orissa
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2
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Ms. HimaKohli
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Delhi
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Telangana
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3
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Sanjib Banerjee
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Calcutta
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Madras
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4
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Pankaj Mithal
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Allahabad
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Jammu & Kashmir and
Ladakh
A notification in this regard has been issued by Department of Justice today.
The brief profile of Judges:
Dr. Justice S. Muralidhar, B.Sc., LL.M., Ph.D., was born on August 08, 1961. He enrolled as an Advocate on September 12, 1984 and practiced in Civil Courts in Chennai, later in Delhi High Court and Supreme Court of India in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Labour, Election, Arbitration, Public Interest Litigation, Human Rights, Company,Taxation and Service matters. His fields of specialization are Constitutional, Election, PIL,Criminal and Human Rights Cases. He worked as Counsel for Election Commission of India, National Human Rights Commission, Central Vigilance Commission and University Grants Commission and as Member of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee from 2000-2004. He was appointed as an Additional Judge of Delhi High Court on May 29, 2006 and as Permanent Judge on August 29, 2007. He was transferred to Punjab and Haryana High Court on 06th March, 2020.
Kumari Justice HimaKohli, M.A., LL.B., was born on September 02, 1959. She was enrolled as an Advocate on September 20, 1984. She practiced in the Delhi High Court in Civil, Constitutional, Labour, Company and Service matters. Her field of specialization was Civil. She was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court on May 29, 2006 and as Permanent Judge on August 29, 2007.
Shri Justice Pankaj Mithal, B. Com., LL.B., was born on June 17, 1961. He was enrolled as an Advocate on September 22, 1985. He practiced in the Allahabad High Court in Civil, Constitutional, Labour and Service matters for 20 years. His field of specialization is Land Acquisition, Rent Control and Education matters. He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court on July 07, 2006 and as Permanent Judge on July 2, 2008.
Shri Justice Sanjib Banerjee, B. Sc, LL.B., was born on November 2, 1961. He was enrolled as an Advocate on November 21, 1990 and practiced at the Supreme Court and High Court of Calcutta and other High Courts in Civil, Company, Arbitration and Constitutional matters and has specialized in Company, Intellectual Property, and Arbitration Laws. He was appointed as Permanent Judge of the Calcutta High Court on June 22, 2006.
Monika
(Visitor Counter : 386
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Power and NRE Minister reviews progress of Solar Roof Top Scheme; directs to simplify scheme
Households now may install the roof top by themselves or get the roof top installed by any vendor of their choice
DISCOMs to ensure netmetering is provided within 15 days
Subsidy to be credited in Householder's account within 30 days of installation
Householder can select solar panels & inverter of his choice
The Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri R.K Singh reviewed the progress of the Roof Top Scheme on 19th January 2022. After the review, the Minister gave directions for simplifying the Roof Top Scheme, so that the people are able to access it easily. He has directed that henceforth, it will not be necessary for any household to get the roof top installed by any of the listed vendors. The households may also install the roof top by themselves or get the roof top installed by any vendor of their choice, and inform the distribution company about the installation alongwith a photograph of the system which has been installed. The intimation to the DISCOM of the installation of the roof top can be given either in the material form through a letter / application or on the designated website which has been set up by every DISCOM and by the Govt. of India for the Roof Top Scheme. The distribution company will ensure that the netmetering will be provided within 15 days of the information being received. The subsidy to be given by the Govt. of India which is 40% for roof top of upto 3 KW capacity and 20% beyond that upto 10 KW will be credited to the account of the householder by the DISCOM within 30 days of the installation. In order to ensure that the quality of the solar panel and the inverter is according to the prescribed standard; the Govt. of India will publish from time to time the lists of solar panel manufacturers and inverter manufacturers whose products meet the expected quality standards and the price lists thereof; and the householder can select the solar panels and inverter of his choice.
The option of getting the roof top installed by any of the vendors designated by the DISCOM remains available as earlier. In such cases also, the householder may select the solar panel and inverter of his choice.MV/IG
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Ministry of Home Affairs
Union Home Minister inaugurates Cyber Crime Unit of Delhi Police and National Cyber Forensic Lab
Shri Rajnath Singh calls for Zero Tolerance towards Cyber Crime in a Digital World
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has said cyber crimes pose a challenge to traditional policing and called upon the Police personnel to hone their skills to tackle the threats posed from the cyber world. Inaugurating the Cyber Prevention, Awareness & Detection Centre  of Delhi Police and National Cyber Forensic Lab, MHA here today, he pointed out that cyber crime has emerged as a big challenge and said, “If we have to build public trust in a Digital World, then we will have to bear Zero Tolerance towards Cyber Crime.”
The Home Minister said in this era of internet and computers, there exists an aspect of cyber crime whether it is cyber cheating or fraud, women harassment or terror recruitment which needs to be strongly addressed. Internet is a platform not only aiding the evolution of social media, but also crucial to online banking, shopping and remotely operated systems in industry. “We have to develop institutional mechanisms for undertaking timely assessment to challenges in cyber space and securing it for the common man,” he said.
Shri Rajnath Singh said MHA has initiated several steps in the last more than four years to deal with cyber crimes. This includes setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Phone Frauds. Under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children  scheme, the online cybercrime reporting portal cybercrime.gov.in has been operationalized. Training programmes have been designed for law enforcement agencies, public prosecutors and judges. For effectively tackling challenges to cyber space, we need an institutional mechanism at the national level involving the private sector also and coordination at the national and international levels, he added. MHA has constituted an Expert Group for a detailed study and initiated creation of the Cyber Crime Coordination Centre which will deal with cyber forensics, cyber investigation, cyber research and innovation, threat analytics and cyber training, said Shri Rajnath Singh. The setting up of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre  is a step towards its implementation. Under the i-4C, the National Cyber Forensics Lab has been inaugurated today, he added.
The Union Home Minister said the Cyber Prevention, Awareness & Detection Centre  of Delhi Police inaugurated today will deal with crypto-currency frauds and international tech-supported frauds. All these steps are aimed at achieving the “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” goal set under the direction of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The Home Minister also inaugurated a Delhi Police Residential Block comprising 56 flats. The Delhi Police built 312 dwelling units last year and another 969 units are under construction this year, he said.
The Lt. Governor of Delhi, Shri Anil Baijal and Delhi Police Commissioner Shri Amulya Patnaik also spoke on the occasion. Senior Officers of MHA and Delhi Police attended the function
Ministry of Earth Sciences
Cabinet approves Agreement with UNESCO on establishment of International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography in Hyderabad
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography, as a Category-2 Centre  of UNESCO, in Hyderabad.
The purpose of this Agreement is to establish a training centre towards development of capacity for the countries on the Indian Ocean Rim , African countries bordering the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, small island countries under the framework of UNESCO. The operational oceanography is an activity of conducting systematic oceanographic studies towards providing information services to various sectors viz. fisherman, disaster management, shipping, ports, coastal states, navy, coast guard, environment, offshore industries for conducting their day-to- day operations.
The Centre will provide assistance in areas of capacity building and training, knowledge sharing and exchange of information, and hence could represent a valuable resource for UNESCO and its Intergovernmental Oceanography Commission  by enhancing the impact and visibility of UNESCO's action.
The establishment of UNESCO Category-2 Centre will provide an opportunity for India to emerge as a leading country in the Indian Ocean. This will also help India to forge cooperation and improve engagement among the counties of the Indian Ocean, including South Asian and African states bordering the Indian Ocean. The establishment of the centre would respond to the worldwide increasing need to build technical and management capacity to address marine and coastal sustainability issues and prepare the region for and react efficiently to marine natural hazards. The Centre could contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal-14  related to building marine scientific research capacity in geographical area of the Centre responsibility which will also fulfill the commitments to support Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries.
This C2C is intended to improve skill of students and other participants which will increase the employment opportunities within and outside India. The establishment of C2C is also expected to increase ancillary development leading to employment generation in India. The centre is currently operational with the state-of-the-art facilities available at Indian Centre for Ocean Information Services , Hyderabad. So far, over 681 scientists including 576 from India and 105 from 34 other countries have been trained at this centre in various aspects of operational oceanography. The other infrastructure facilities like building and training hostel are being established. It is also envisaged to invite world class .
Ministry of Labour & Employment
Cabinet approves MoUs signed between India and German Agency in the field of Occupational Diseases, Re-habilitation and vocational training.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval for the MoUs between India and German for collaboration in the field of Occupational Diseases, Re-habilitation and vocational training of Insured Persons with disabilities.
Benefits:
The MoUs with the DGUV, a specialized agency in Germany working for Occupational Safety and Health and social protection, will help broadly in:-
- Exchanging information and promoting activities in the area of rehabilitation related to medical, occupational and social re-habilitation of Insured Persons with disabilities, and
- Prevention, detection and treatment of occupational diseases:
Major Impact:
Exchange of information and collaboration will enable capacity building and social re-habilitation of Insured Persons with disabilities, besides prevention, detection and treatment of occupational diseases.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Making Dental Council more effective
Amendments in the Dentists Act
Cabinet approves the Dentists  Bill, 2019
In order to make the Dental Council of India more effective, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the introduction of a Bill to amend the Dentists Act, 1948 . The decision also gives effect, with certain modifications, to the provisions of the Dentists Act, 1948 with regard to the membership of the Dental Council of India and membership of State and Joint State Dental Councils.
Impact:
The amendment will help restructure the Dental Councils and the representation of Central Government members and elected members would no longer be made mandatory in the Dental Councils.
In the process it will reduce the redundancy.
The Bill will be introduced in the upcoming session of Parliament
Details:
To amend the following clauses of the Dentists Act, 1948:
 Membership of the Dental Council of India under clause  of section 3 and
 Membership of State and Joint State Dental Councils under clause  of section 21 and clause  of section 23 of the said Act.
Background:
The representation of dentists registered in Part B as Central Government nominees in the Dental Council of India and the election of four/ two members from Part B to the State / Joint State Dental Councils under the respective clauses in the Act have lost relevance. With a view to reducing the redundancy of the provisions of their representation, the Central Government has decided to delete these provisions so that their representation does not remain mandatory any more.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
Big relief for farmers, Centre postpones paddy procurement in Punjab & Haryana due to heavy rainfall
Paddy procurement in Punjab & Haryana to commence from October 11, 2021
It has been reported that due to recent heavy downpour in the States of Punjab &Haryana, the maturity of paddy has been delayed.
Keeping in view the interest of farmers and to avoid any inconvenience to them, the Department of Food and Public Distribution under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has decided that the procurement of Paddy under MSP would commence from 11thOctober 2021 in states of Punjab &Haryana.
The procurement and milling period for KMS 2021-22 for Punjab was October 1, 2021 and Haryana was September 25, 2021.
All the agencies have been directed to take necessary action to undertake procurement of paddy w.e.f. 11 th October 2021 in the states of Punjab and Haryana.